President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has sharply condemned Israel’s continued assault on Gaza and criticised the international community for what he described as its failure to uphold justice and equality under international law.
In a written interview with Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, President Muizzu reaffirmed the Maldives’ unwavering support for the Palestinian people, calling for “decisive global action” to hold Israel accountable for what he described as crimes against humanity.
“The law must apply to all nations equally,” he said. “Israel must be forced to account through political pressure, sanctions, and restrictions — so that it understands such crimes will not be tolerated.”
The President said that sovereignty is not defined by the size or strength of a nation, but by “the will to remain true to one’s conscience, even under pressure.” He argued that smaller states like the Maldives are uniquely positioned to speak with moral clarity, unencumbered by the geopolitical interests that often shape the responses of more powerful nations.
“Too many states have abandoned moral clarity in favour of political convenience,” he said. “Leadership is tested not by words, but by standing firm in moments of crisis.”
Outlining steps taken by his government, President Muizzu noted that the Maldives has banned Israeli passport holders, joined the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel, and continues to call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“We will continue to support Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations,” he said, adding that the Maldives would use every international platform to “ensure that the Palestinian cause is never forgotten.”
“Our duty is not complete until Palestine is free,” the President declared.
President Muizzu also criticised what he described as the weakening of international institutions such as the United Nations and international courts, saying they have been undermined by powerful countries prioritising commercial and security interests.
“These institutions are not weak by nature — they are weakened by states that refuse to let them function as intended,” he said. “We absolutely reject the idea that principles can be sacrificed for profit.”
He warned that silence in the face of mass atrocities represents a moral failure for the global community. “If financial gain or political convenience outweighs the lives of innocent men, women, and children, then we have lost our moral compass,” he said.
The President described the Maldives’ stance against Israel as more than symbolic, calling it a declaration of principle that reflects the nation’s conscience and independence.
“Even if the Maldives stands alone, our position will not change,” he said. “But if more nations take decisive moral positions, the cumulative effect will be powerful.”
He concluded by urging world leaders to reclaim justice and humanity as the guiding principles of global governance, warning that history will remember those “who stood by oppression when courage was needed.”
